Comparative toxic effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Growth inhibition, oxidative stress, and cell morphology

A study on the physiological responses to nanoplastics and molecular mechanisms in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The Effects of Microplastics on Growth and Photosynthetic Activity of Chlorella pyrenoidosa: The Role of Types and Sizes

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Researchers exposed the freshwater alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa to polystyrene and PVC microplastics across three size ranges for 14 days, finding that smaller particles caused greater growth inhibition — up to 43% — and that algae responded by secreting extracellular polymers and forming aggregates to resist the particles.

Physiological, morphological, and growth effects of microplastics on freshwater alga Chlorella vulgaris

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Researchers showed that microplastics inhibit growth, reduce chlorophyll and photosynthetic efficiency, and trigger oxidative stress in the freshwater alga Chlorella vulgaris in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting the species could serve as a bioindicator for aquatic microplastic contamination.

Microplastics and nanoplastics in human health: a comprehensive review of exposure pathways, cellular mechanisms, and toxicological implications

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Researchers reviewed human exposure pathways to microplastics and nanoplastics through seafood, salt, drinking water, inhalation, and skin contact, examining how these particles cross biological barriers to reach organs and trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, and endocrine disruption with poorly understood long-term consequences.

Toxic effects of polylactic acid microplastics on photosynthesis and motility of Microglena sp.

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Polylactic acid microplastics — made from a supposedly biodegradable plastic — inhibited the growth, photosynthesis, and swimming ability of a marine microalgae species, with genes controlling flagella and photosynthesis both suppressed. This matters because microalgae form the base of marine food chains, and even 'eco-friendly' bioplastics can cause real ecological harm as they break down.